Accumulator and transfer system and method for delivering food product to a bag

ABSTRACT

A transfer system is provided for a food product, comprising an accumulation cage to buffer product being delivered from a loader system; and a transfer mechanism to deliver a predetermined number of food product from the accumulation cage to a chute which itself delivers the predetermined number of food products to a receptacle. The loader system may run continuously to deliver product to the accumulator cage while the transfer mechanism delivers the predetermined number of food product to the chute.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of tubular food handling machinery,such as sausages and hot dogs. Specifically, this invention relates tothe field of hopper equipped product launchers wherein tubular foodproducts are fed to a product bagger through an accumulation cage,transfer bucket and transfer chute to increase packing speed for productbeing delivered to a polyester heat sealed bag or similar packaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packing machines for all types of foods are very common and have beenwidely used for many years. Typically, processed food articles have auniform shape which renders them conducive to high speed automatedpackaging machines. The processed food articles move along a conveyor toa filling head and into trays, boxes or some other form of packagingcontainer. Often, the containers also are on a high speed conveyor whichmoves the containers with the loaded food articles to a wrapping stationor another processing station used in the ultimate distribution of thefood to the consumer.

Speed of packaging the food articles is important. Any packaging machinemust keep up with the supply of food articles being processed. It isparticularly important for sanitation reasons to minimize the exposureof many processed food articles to the ambient temperatures in apackaging plant. Machines are known which can load processed foodarticles such as franks into packaging trays. Most have a filling headinto which the food articles are loaded, and then unloaded intocontainers. The filling head can be configured to load one or morecontainers at a time. The containers themselves can be one of manydifferent sizes to hold any desired number of food articles. Ideally,any filling head on a loader will be versatile enough to accommodate thevaried food article packaging sizes and arrangements.

In accord with a need for fast and efficient food article packaging,there has been developed food article filling heads for loader parentmachines. The filling heads have quick connect features to allow a headwith desired capacity and food article arrangement to be selected andinstalled on the parent machine. A limited number of interchangeablefilling heads for a loader parent machine lends a great deal ofversatility to the type of package containers, both in capacity andphysical food article arrangement that can be loaded. Importantly, thefilling head is able to operate at an increased speed and in a veryefficient manner.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, prior art systems for launching tubularfood products toward a package loader typically include a hopper 8equipped with launcher/unscrambler 10 aligned with one or moreintermediate bucketed belt(s) 12. The launcher 10 floods theintermediate belt with excess product (105-120%) most of which ends upproperly aligned in buckets 14 positioned along the bucketed belt 12.Excess and misaligned product is removed by lateral rake 16. The rake 16urges the removed excess product toward a return hopper 21 feeding areturn belt 20 that directs product back to the hopper 8.

In the foregoing known system, the fill rate of the intermediate belt 12buckets 14 beyond the rake 16 is upwards of 95%. However, for a 100%fill rate to be obtained prior to the loader 24, a human productinspector 22 is positioned along the intermediate belt between the rake16 and the loading head 24. The inspector 22 removes defective product(i.e., still casing covered, misshapen, cut/broken, etc.), placing itinto the reject chute 28, replaces the defects, and fills remainingblanks among the passing buckets 14 with product selected from thereplacement tray 26. Owing to the rapid and continuous action of theinspector 22, the fill rate then becomes 100% as the intermediate beltheads toward the loading head 24. The inspector 22, or a fellowco-worker inspector, can from time-to-time feed excess product to theinspector 22 location by manually raising/lifting/pivoting the rake 16away from the intermediate belt 12, using manual lift handle 17, toallow a temporary product surge past the rake 16 to the inspectionlocation.

Excess product is removed by the inspector 22 into the replacement tray26 and the inspector 22 can continue replacing defects and filling emptybuckets 14 from the re-stocked tray 26.

The filler or loading head 24 typically delivers the product to apackaging system. FIG. 3 shows one example of a filler or loading headthat may be used in accordance with the bagger of the present inventionas disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,385, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. That patent discloses a food article fillinghead having an input conveyor for delivering individual food items, anindex pusher for receiving the food items from the input conveyor andaccumulating the items into groups, a staging area for receiving anarray of groups of food items, and a ram assembly for displacing thearray of groups of food items downwardly through trap doors in thestaging area into a receptacle. Of course, there are numerousfiller/loading heads that may be used in conjunction with the presentinvention.

In some regions of the world, frankfurters are sold in polyester heatsealed bags rather than the vacuum packed retail packages typically usedin the United States. Frankfurter loaders have been introduced for thismarket where customers are transitioning to typical retail packages.What was discovered is these customers still need to supply theirtraditional market served by the polyester bags during this transitionalperiod. These customers need a solution to load polyester bags and ahorizontal form fill and seal packaging machine with a conventionalloader.

There is need therefore to provide a packaging system to accommodatefrankfurters or other food products sold in polyester heat sealed bagsrather than vacuum packed products. One challenge of this design was totransition the product loading height from one appropriate for ahorizontal form fill and seal packaging machine, to a height ofapproximately 34″ to be ergonomically suitable for a human being. Timeis required to transition the product and insert it into the bag. Foroptimum loading efficiency, the loader must run continuously andcontinue to load rather than wait for the product to be transferred andinserted into the bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To address the above needs, the present inventors have adapted anintermediate holding area known as an accumulation cage to bufferproduct so that a transfer cage may deliver the product to a bag while asubsequent group of product is received in the accumulation cage.

By adapting an accumulation cage, the invention allows the frankfurterloader to run continuously while simultaneously loading product into apolyester bag. The amount of product that will be inserted into the bagor increments of what will be inserted into the bag is dropped from thefrankfurter loader into an accumulation cage one layer of product at atime. For example, if 50 frankfurters are to be loaded into the bag, 5layers of 10 individual frankfurters would be dropped into theaccumulation cage. The cage then drops the completed grouping into atransfer bucket. The transfer bucket or buckets moves horizontally thenvertically into position. Finally a horizontal pusher moves the productthrough a funneling chute into the polyester bag. While this transfer isoccurring, the accumulation cage is accepting the next bagful ofproduct. The transfer bucket returns to its load position under theaccumulation cage and accepts the next bagful.

These and other advantages of the aforementioned invention will occur tothose of ordinary skill in the field as the following description anddrawings are read and understood by those of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of a prior art tubular product launchersystem.

FIG. 2 is a schematic profile view of the prior art launcher in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary schematic side elevation of a filler or loadinghead that may be used with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bagger according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a front and left side perspective view of the bagger of FIG. 4with the internal component exposed.

FIG. 6 is a front and right side perspective view of the bagger of FIG.4 with the internal component exposed.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the bagger of FIG. 4 with the internalcomponent exposed.

FIG. 8 is a left side view of the bagger of FIG. 4 with the internalcomponent exposed.

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of the primary components of thebagger of FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the primary components of the bagger ofFIG. 4.

FIGS. 11 a and 11 b illustrate the preferred embodiment of theaccumulator cages 120, 130 of the present invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of the slide rail along which thetransfer bucket translates.

FIG. 13 illustrates the slide rail in conjunction with the elevatorsystem in relation to the transfer bucket, the pusher, and the chute.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments andmethods of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference characters designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the drawings. It should be noted, however, that the inventionin its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details,representative devices and methods, and illustrative examples shown anddescribed in connection with the exemplary embodiments and methods.

This description of exemplary embodiments is intended to be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be consideredpart of the entire written description. In the description, relativeterms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “front,” “rear,” “upper”,“lower”, “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g.,“horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed torefer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawingfigure under discussion and to the orientation relative to a vehiclebody. These relative terms are for convenience of description andnormally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Termsconcerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and“interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are securedor attached to one another either directly or indirectly throughintervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments orrelationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term“operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connectionthat allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue ofthat relationship. Additionally, the word “a” as used in the claimsmeans “at least one”.

The bag loading device according to the present invention as illustratedin FIG. 4 is designed to mate to existing tubular food productautoloaders. The autoloader may be a dual (side-by-side) conveyor asshown in FIG. 1 or may be a single conveyor system. Additionally, theautoloader may have dual conveyors wherein the system uses a mixerupstream of the bag loading device 100 of FIG. 4. The bag loading device100 easily moves under the loading head of the existing autoloader suchas shown in FIG. 3 by way of wheels 102 where it receives exact productcounts into at least one accumulation cage 120, 130. The exact countsare transported by transfer bucket(s) to the single station loading areawhere the loading piston fills the bag preloaded into a dispenser orchute 110 designed for your bag size.

Once both cages are filled with proper count and both transfer bucket(s)are back in the home position, below accumulation cage, the bag loadingprocess is then triggered. Both accumulation cages are mechanicallycoupled, therefore both open simultaneously. The bagger has the abilityto run using only one accumulation cage and one chute but the secondcage will still open.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the bagger of the present invention includesfirst and second accumulation cages 120, 130 sized and designed to belocated beneath the filler/loader head 40 described above with respectto FIG. 3. The filler/loader dispenses the food product in a controlledmanner into the accumulation cages 120, 130 in a manner that is known inthe art.

The amount of product that will be inserted into the bag or incrementsof what will be inserted into the bag is dropped from the frankfurterloader head 40 into the accumulation cage(s) 120, 130 one layer ofproduct at a time. For example, if 50 frankfurters are to be loaded intothe bag, 5 layers of 10 individual frankfurters would be dropped intothe accumulation cage(s) 120, 130. The accumulator cage 120, 130 thendrops the completed grouping into a transfer bucket(s) 140, 150. It willbe understood that FIG. 6 shows only one transfer bucket 140 forsimplicity of the illustration. The transfer buckets 140, 150 (which aremechanically coupled to vertically oriented linear slide pneumatic aircylinder) move horizontally along the pneumatic linear side cylinders142, 152. Then, the transfer buckets 140, 150 are raised vertically(with assistance of linear slide vertically orientated pneumatic aircylinder) into position that is aligned with the chutes 110, 112. FIG. 7shows three different positions (A, B, C) for the first transfer bucket140, and three different positions (A′, B′, C′) for the second transferbucket 150. Positions A, B, C run essentially parallel to positions A′,B′, C′ First, the food product is delivered to the first transfer bucket140 from the first accumulator cage 120 (position A), then the firsttransfer bucket 140 moves along rail 142 to position B. By way of acontrolled piston operated elevator system 145 (which also moves alongthe rails 142), the first transfer bucket 140 is raised from position Bto position C that is aligned with the first chute 110. The secondtransfer bucket 150 operates in a similar manner but finishes at aposition C′ that is located in an offset position with respect toposition C. The location of position C′ is aligned in the horizontaldirection with the controlled piston operated elevator system 155 whichoperates to deliver second transfer bucket 150 from the accumulator cage130 to the second chute 120. FIGS. 6 and 8 show the transfer bucket 150in position C′. The elevator systems 145, 155 preferably includevertical rails 145 a, 155 a and a pneumatic pistons 145 b, 155 b thatdrives the transfer bucket(s) 140, 150 in a vertical direction towardthe chutes 110, 120. The elevators systems 145, 155 are disposed to ridealong the rails 142, 152 with the transfer buckets 140, 150 and theelevator systems 145, 155 are actuated to elevate the transfer buckets140, 150 at positions B, B′.

In the preferred embodiment, horizontal movement of the transfer buckets140, 150 is controlled by respective pneumatic linear slide cylinders142, 152 having power and signals delivered through cable carriers 147,157 which drive movement of the transfer buckets 140, 150 along thepneumatic linear slide cylinders 142, 152. Cable carriers 147, 157 areused to protect proximity sensor cables as well as pneumatic tubingrequired to operate elevators systems 155, 145. Cable carriers 147, 157are also known as cable tracks function as umbilical cords of electricmachines because they minimize downtime, while protecting, supportingand extending the service life of cables and hoses.

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of the major components of thebagger 100 of the present invention and illustrates the different travelpositions for the first and second transfer buckets 140, 150. Likewise,FIG. 10 provides a schematic perspective view of the major components ofthe bagger 100 of the present invention.

Finally, horizontal pushers 160, 170 move the product through arespective and oppositely facing funneling chute 110, 120 (see FIG. 8)into the polyester bag (not shown). Specifically, the pusher 160 pushesthe product contained in transfer bucket 140 through the chute 110 andinto a bag (not shown). Likewise, the pusher 170 pushes the productcontained in transfer bucket 150 through the chute 120 and into a bag(not shown). The pushers 160, 170 are individually operated by a pistonsystem. While this transfer is occurring for at least one of thetransfer buckets 140, 150, the accumulation cages 120, 130 are acceptingthe next bagful of product. The transfer buckets 140, 150 return to arespective load position under the respective accumulation cage 120, 130and accept the next bagful.

Push stop buttons 180, 190 allow operator to stop the bagger in anemergency situation.

FIGS. 11 a and 11 b illustrate the preferred embodiment of theaccumulator cages 120, 130 of the present invention. The structure andfunction of the accumulator cage(s) of the present invention aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,462, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. In FIG. 11 a, the accumulator cage is shownin a close position whereby the food product is collected in the cage.Brackets 122 are provided for mounting the cage 120 to the bag loader,and adjustable side walls 124 are provided for containment of theproduct. Adjustable backing plates 126 are provided for differentproduct size and configuration. Linkage 127 connects the right and leftaccumulator cages 140, 150, and a pneumatic air cylinder 128 actuatescage doors 129. FIG. 11 b illustrates the accumulator cage in the openposition whereby the food product is dropped into the respectivetransfer bucket 140, 150 when the cage doors 129 are moved from ahorizontal position to a vertical position.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of the slide rail 142, 152 along whichthe transfer bucket 140, 150 translates. As shown in FIG. 12, sensors142 a are disposed in the rodless cylinder channel to detect theposition of the transfer bucket along the rail 142, 152. Similarly,sensors 142 b are disposed at the top and bottom in the cylinder of theelevator system 145, 155 to detect the vertical position of the transferbucket 140. 150. Only the bottom sensor 142 b is shown in FIG. 12.

In an effort to further elaborate on the structure and function of thehorizontal pushers 160, 170, FIG. 13 illustrates the slide rail 142 inconjunction with the elevator system 145 in relation to the transferbucket 140, the pusher 160, and the chute 110. In the preferredembodiment of the invention, the pusher 160 includes a pneumatic linearslide 162 slidingly disposed on rails 164. Mounted to the linear slide162 is a plastic pusher lug 166, which is moved in the direction ofarrow A when the cylinder is actuated to move the linear slide 162, theplastic pusher lug 166 pushes the food product from the transfer bucket140 out through the chute 110.

As described above, a transfer system for a food product, includes anaccumulation cage (e.g., accumulator cages 120, 130) to buffer productbeing delivered from a conveyor or loader system, a transfer mechanism(e.g., transfer buckets 140, 150 on rails 142, 152 with cables carriers147, 157) to deliver a predetermined number of food product from theaccumulation cage to a chute for delivering the predetermined number offood products to a receptacle at chutes 110, 120. The loader system mayrun continuously to deliver product to the accumulator cages 120, 130while the transfer mechanism delivers a predetermined number of foodproduct to the chutes 110, 120. The transfer mechanism comprises atleast one transfer bucket 140, 150 with the predetermined number of foodproduct being dropped from the accumulation cages 120, 130 into thetransfer buckets 140, 150. According to the preferred embodiment, thetransfer buckets 140, 150 move horizontally and then vertically, viaelevators systems 145, 155 into a position adjacent the chutes 110, 120.The transfer system further includes at least one horizontal pusher 160,170 which moves the predetermined number of food product from thetransfer bucket 140, 150 through the chutes 110, 120 for delivery into,for example, a polyester bag. With the transfer system according to theinvention, the food product is delivered into the accumulation cage(s)while the transfer bucket(s) is transferring the food product to thechute(s). Thereafter, the transfer bucket(s) returns to its loadposition under the accumulation cage and accepts the next bagful. Thetransfer system according to the invention is adapted to be disposedbeneath an exit of a conventional loader system to align said the of theloader system with the accumulator cage for delivery of food product tothe accumulator cage.

With the preferred embodiment of the invention, two delivery systems arerunning parallel to one another to deliver products to oppositelydisposed chutes 110, 120 that are offset from one another.

Quantity of product into accumulation cage(s) is controlled byfrankfurter loader. The loader is keeping count of how many pieces gointo accumulation cage per requirements of bag.

Once correct quantities are placed into accumulation cage, aprogrammable logic controller (PLC) (not shown) awaits signalnotification that both buckets are correctly positioned belowaccumulation cage (position “A”) before pneumatically actuating the dropof correct counts into prospective buckets below. When the product is inthe buckets, the linear pneumatic slides or rails 142, 152 move to theend of their physical stroke (position “B”). Proximity sensors detectlocation of each cylinder to determine their location before the nextmovement takes place. Once position “B” is detected, cylinders 145, 155are actuated upwards placing buckets into position “C”. From there thelinear slides with pusher blocks 160, 170 are actuated opposing anothermoving product from the buckets 142, 152 through the chutes 110, 120into the bags. Position “C” also provides a lid for the buckets so thatproduct does not come out through the top during push. When the bucketsare emptied, they return back to the home position (“A”) following areverse sequence (C, B, A).

The bagger follows this sequence; with buckets in position A,accumulation cage(s) dump the food products. Buckets then move toposition B. The buckets then move to position C, where the pusher pushesproduct to bags through the respective chute 110, 120. The pusher(s)then retract and the buckets move to position B and next back toposition A. This process is continuously repeated. Meanwhile, the loaderis continually filling the accumulation cage(s) so product is ready todump each time the bucket arrives at position A. Each cylinder is movingto its physical retracted and extracted limit to provide position stops.At the end of each cylinder there are proximity switches detectingwhether cylinder is fully retracted or extracted. When the appropriateswitches are made per a PLC command, the system allows the bagger toproceed to the next command/position.

The operator responsible for bag placement and replacement onto chutehas no control over bagger cycle. This is completely controlled by thespeed in which loader can fill the accumulation cage. In some smallerbag configurations the loader can fill the accumulation cage faster thana bagger cycle. Therefore, this will force the loader to slow. Theloader cannot continue to fill accumulation cage if count requirementhave been met.

While the foregoing invention has been shown and described withreference to a specific embodiment, it will be understood by those ofskill in the art that various changes may be made herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Forexample, the exact transfer mechanism, the control, and the path for thetransfer buckets to and from positions A, B and C may be changed withdeparting from this scope of this invention. Likewise the number oftransfer buckets and chutes may be changed.

1. A transfer system for a food product, comprising: an accumulationcage to buffer product being delivered from a loader system; a transfermechanism to deliver a predetermined number of food product from saidaccumulation cage to a chute where the predetermined number of foodproducts are deposited in a receptacle.
 2. The transfer system accordingto claim 1, wherein said loader system may run continuously to deliverproduct to said accumulator cage while said transfer mechanism deliverssaid predetermined number of food product to said chute.
 3. The transfersystem according to claim 1, wherein said transfer mechanism comprisesat least one transfer bucket, said predetermined number of food productbeing dropped from said accumulation cage into said transfer bucket. 4.The transfer system according to claim 3, wherein said transfer bucketmoves horizontally then vertically into a position adjacent said chute.5. The transfer system according to claim 3, further comprising at leastone horizontal pusher which moves the predetermined number of foodproduct from said transfer bucket through said chute for delivery intosaid receptacle.
 6. The transfer system according to claim 3, whereinsaid food product is delivered into said accumulation cage while saidtransfer bucket is transferring said food product to said chute.
 7. Thetransfer system according to claim 3, wherein said transfer bucketreturns to its load position under the accumulation cage and accepts thenext bagful.
 8. The transfer system according to claim 1, wherein saidtransfer system is adapted to be disposed beneath an exit of said loadersystem to align said exit with said accumulator cage for delivery offood product to said accumulator cage.
 9. The transfer system accordingto claim 1, wherein said transfer system includes a transfer bucketdisposed on a rail, said transfer bucket being moved by a pneumatic railsystem that translates said transfer bucket along said rail.
 10. Thetransfer system according to claim 9, further comprising an elevatorsystem to elevate said transfer bucket above said rail toward saidchute.
 11. The transfer system according to claim 1, further comprisinga second accumulation cage to buffer product being delivered from aloader system; and a second transfer mechanism to deliver a secondpredetermined number of food product from said second accumulation cageto a second chute where the predetermined number of food products aredeposited in a second receptacle, wherein said transfer mechanism andsaid second transfer mechanism run parallel to one another.
 12. Atransfer system for a food product, comprising: first and secondaccumulation areas to buffer product being delivered from a loadersystem; first and second transfer mechanisms to deliver a first andsecond predetermined number of food products from said accumulationareas to first and second dispensers where the first and secondpredetermined number of food products respectively are dispensed into areceptacle, wherein aid first and second transfer mechanisms deliversaid food products along parallel paths to said first and seconddispensers.
 13. The transfer system according to claim 12, wherein saidloader system may run continuously to deliver product to saidaccumulator areas while said transfer mechanisms deliver said first andsecond predetermined number of food products to said dispensers.
 14. Thetransfer system according to claim 12, wherein each of said first andsecond transfer mechanisms comprise a transfer bucket, and wherein saidfirst and second predetermined number of food products are depositedrespectively from said accumulation areas into a respective transferbucket.
 15. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein saidtransfer bucket for each of said first and second transfer mechanismsmoves horizontally then vertically into a position adjacent one of saidfirst and second dispensers.
 16. The transfer system according to claim14, further comprising at least one horizontal pusher which moves thepredetermined number of food product from said transfer bucket throughsaid dispenser for delivery into said receptacle.
 17. The transfersystem according to claim 14, wherein said food product is deliveredinto said accumulation areas while said transfer bucket is transferringsaid food product to said dispenser.
 18. The transfer system accordingto claim 12, wherein each of said first and second transfer systemsinclude a transfer bucket disposed on a rail, said transfer bucket beingmoved by a pneumatic rail system that translates said transfer bucketalong said rail.
 19. The transfer system according to claim 18, furthercomprising an elevator system to elevate said transfer bucket above saidrail toward said dispensers.
 20. A method of transferring a food productfrom a loader to a receptacle, comprising the steps of: delivering foodproduct from a loader system to an accumulation cage to buffer productbeing delivered from said loader system, transferring said food productfrom said accumulation cage to a transfer bucket, delivering said foodproduct from said accumulation cage to a dispenser, while said loaderdelivers additional food product to said accumulation cage.